Medium: Lithograph in Colors

Sheet Size: 12.25" x 9.25"

Signature: Unsigned (On reverse “MANESSIER. Original lithograph for the n°15 of XXe siècle“)

Edition: 2,000

Publisher: Paris: G. Di San Lazzaro, 1960. French Art Review directed by Gualtieri di San Lazaro. N 15 Noel 1960. XXII Annee - La Revolution De La Couleur

Le Nid (Petite tache noire n°1) captures a pivotal moment in Alfred Manessier’s journey toward lyrical abstraction, and he handles the transition with a remarkable sense of spiritual quietude. The composition is built on a delicate internal architecture, where soft, glowing washes of color are punctuated by the "little black spot" that gives the piece its rhythmic soul. There is a profound sense of introspection here, as if Manessier is translating the hidden patterns of nature—the moss, the shadows, and the sanctuary of a nest—into a visual language of light. Like his most celebrated stained-glass works, this piece balances a structured, mosaic-like density with an atmospheric lightness that feels both ancient and modern.

For a collector, this 1960 lithograph offers a sophisticated entry into the "School of Paris" and the post-war movement of Abstraction Lyrique. Manessier was a master of the lithographic stone, using the medium to achieve a rich, painterly texture that mimics the depth of his oil canvases. This particular work represents the artist at the height of his international acclaim, having recently won the Grand Prix at the Venice Biennale. Owning this piece isn't just about possessing a beautiful abstract form; it is about holding a meditative fragment of 20th-century history from an artist who sought to capture the "inner landscape" of the human spirit.